Racism exists - move on

[kardi03]

I have read several messages on this website which basically say Racism exists - move on. I have lived and worked in HK for 7 years and have been on the taking end of racism all along. Nothing serious but that constant feeling of being judged based on your color, in small ways as have been mentioned here - empty seat on buses and MTR, being invisible in a line at Park - n- shop, being asked why ALL Indian stink, being asked if i am on an errand for my 'boss' in the premier line at HSBC. Most of the time i let it go but sometimes it gets to me and today is one of those days. I therefore thought about getting some answers from members of this esteem website. Here is a link where u can answer 9 questions for me. This is only for my personal interest nothing more. As they say in Market research i would like to see some quantitative results rather than qualitative ones.
Thanx in advance if you fill it out. Here is the link:
http://FreeOnlineSurveys.com/renders...89ihf7gj356182

[dean-dzai]

I am from Australia, in this Country racism exists - however all the Nationalities who make it and thrive in Australia are Nationalities who cash in on jokes about their own nationality. Of course many Nations have a high pride in their own ethnicity which I highly respect (like Chinese for example, my wife cannot do this in Melbourne and I respect that).

For me, I find it easier to call myself gwai-dzai or gwailo,hey - my Mother in law called me 'gwai-dzai' because she thought it was easier then calling me 'a-dean' (sounds tooo much like my parents named me 'crazy' or 'insane' in Cantonese). hey - I even call myself Cantonese names for white people in Cantonese quite often to get a smile.

I knew an Indian who got a smile by making jokes about using his hands to eat, he said it was his 'natural fork', this made it easier for everyone to feel relaxed about cultural differences. I spoke to a guy last night who was either from Pakistan or India, his English was great and his Cantonese was great when he spoke to co-workers and he was respected in his workplace. Cantonese is the key to breaking barriers in Hong Kong (not English or Mandarin unless you want to only be around other foreigners all day long).

Other then our making our best attempts to fit in, I think Hong Kong is more accommodating then many Countries and we are lucky to be here

[wtbhotia]

born and grew up in HK but actually from Nepal. What Dean has said is true, if you can speak cantonese then it makes a hell of a difference. U will still get morons who try to make fun of u but this happens to anybody. I get called all kinds of names in chinese by my friends, i just call them names back in English which they have no clue at all and then i explain to them what it means. Then they get the idea calling names is not that funny. I tell them if you dish it out, expect to get some as well.

The part about the bank you should complain and ask to see the manager, the teller clerk should not be asking questions like that if the premier account is actually yours. This you should make a big fuss about and try to get that stupid Bit@h/Pri@k teller clerk fired. Take down there name and write into SCMP, you should get some feed back from HSBC.

[Purrsian]

Agreed with wtbhotia, you should go to file a complaint for that incident no matter what at HSBC.

Also agreed with Dean Dzai, Aussies are great jokers and don't take these jokes personally, yet Aus is labelled a very racist country. I have heard of tons of racist jokes when I was in Aus, these jokes are harmless and almost everybody gets one.

Arrogant but ignorant, and insecure people are just everywhere, so are the nice and friendly ones. "When you are in Rome, do what the Romans do" is the way to go, embrace the culture, learn the language, make some friends locally who would fight for your right whenever you need them. HK is really not bad in terms of hospitality comparatively speaking among all the major cities. In Paris, even you can speak French perfectly, the local would still judge you by your accent, speaking with Qubecois French, African French, even Southern French accents would be treated very differently, let alone if you don't speak French at all. Chinese residents in Japan are almost always thought to be illegal workers/ smugglers, at least thats what the imperialists think.

Indians are very intelligent, hard working people, it's almost like they can excel in any field they lay their hands on effortlessly. Most of my Indian friends are either engineers or scientists, during my college years, we helped each other out on lots of things and I am forever grateful to have known them. I found that there are lots of similarities shared between Chinese and Indian cultures. I'm a HKer and that's my honest impression.

Kardi03, if you ever need help or want to have some friends locally, don't hesitate to let us/me know, looks like people here are very nice. I really hope that you can make the most out of the stay in HK, and hopefully make it a joyeous one.

[dinesh]

I never experienced racism here in hk.One has to follow etiquette & its fine.
I love hk.

[wtbhotia]

check out this guy Russell Peters he's a indian/canadian or canadian/indian whichever suits u, comedian, he takes the piss out of indians, chinese, blacks, whites. Bloody funny comedian.

[Purrsian]

I know Russell Peters, he's hilarious

[goofrider]

born and grew up in HK but actually from Nepal. What Dean has said is true, if you can speak cantonese then it makes a hell of a difference. U will still get morons who try to make fun of u but this happens to anybody. I get called all kinds of names in chinese by my friends, i just call them names back in English which they have no clue at all and then i explain to them what it means. Then they get the idea calling names is not that funny. I tell them if you dish it out, expect to get some as well.

The part about the bank you should complain and ask to see the manager, the teller clerk should not be asking questions like that if the premier account is actually yours. This you should make a big fuss about and try to get that stupid Bit@h/Pri@k teller clerk fired. Take down there name and write into SCMP, you should get some feed back from HSBC.

I feel ya. It's ridiculous that there are so many Indians, Pakistanis and Nepaleses who were born and raised here and lived here for 2 generations or more yet on many levels they're still not recognized as part of this society.


Sure, racism exists anywhere. But it's important to push for social progress.

[taihunggao]

Racism at its most evil and inhumane is when it is hidden; there needs to be a different word to seperate someone disdaining the Indian/Black/Gweilo on the street to the boss who is fully "equal opportunities" compliant yet who shifts the Indian/Black/Gweilo/Boy/Girl CVs to the bottom of the pile.

You may argue that racism on the street, or the bank queue, is the thin end of the wedge when it comes to equal human rights... well at least those people who refuse to sit next to you on the MTR or ask you such questions in the bank queue are being honest.

In my experience, the most racist people I have had the misfortune to encounter are publically most charming and lovely equal opportunties proponents on a public or street level. But when it comes to important hiring decisions behind closed doors.... "I think Indians are hard workers but not suitable for this job, bin it."

That is the evil which should be stamped out.

[Boris]

But when it comes to important hiring decisions behind closed doors.... "I think Indians are hard workers but not suitable for this job, bin it."

That is the evil which should be stamped out.

The problem I have with this is not the perception that this may happen, but the fact that you appear to be privy to something that ACTUALLY happened.

If true, then if you did nothing about it, you are equally as guilty. If hearsay then what is the point of coming here and writing rumor on such an important issue?

I just don't get the point, unless you have missed out the bit about proactive action.